In 2022, Vikesh Siddhu and I published this Tutorial:
Five Starter Pieces: Quantum Information Science (QIS) via Semidefinite Programs (SDP).
As we wrote in the abstract:
As the title indicates, this chapter presents a brief, self-contained introduction to five fundamental problems in quantum information science (QIS) that are especially well suited to be formulated as semidefinite programs (SDPs). We have in mind two audiences. The primary audience comprises operations research (and computer science) graduate students who have familiarity with SDPs but have found it daunting to become even minimally conversant with prerequisites of QIS. The second audience consists of physicists (and electrical engineers) already knowledgeable with the modeling of QIS via SDP but interested in computational tools that are applicable more generally. For both audiences, we strive for rapid access to the unfamiliar material. For the first we provide just enough required background material (taken from quantum mechanics, treated via matrices, and then expressed using Dirac notation), and, simultaneously, for the second audience we recreate, computationally in Jupyter notebooks, known closed-form solutions. We hope you will enjoy this introduction and gain understanding of the marvelous connection between SDP and QIS by self-study or as a short seminar course. Ultimately, we hope this disciplinary outreach will fuel advances in QIS through their fruitful study via SDPs.
Now, in 2025, Arul Mazumder and I are pleased to present another Tutorial:
Five Starter Problems: Solving QUBOs on Quantum Computers.
We thank Claudio Gomes, Katie Harrison, Javier Pena, Holly Wiber and Woody Zhu (among others) for their suggestions on how to make it clearer for beginners. Here is the abstract:
This tutorial offers a quick, hands-on introduction to solving Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) models on currently available quantum computers and their simulators. We cover both IBM and D-Wave machines: IBM utilizes a gate-circuit architecture, and D-Wave is a quantum annealer. We provide examples of three canonical problems and two models from practical applications. The tutorial is structured to bridge the gap between theory and practice: we begin with an overview of QUBOs, explain their relevance and connection to quantum algorithms, introduce key quantum computing concepts, provide the foundations for two quantum heuristics, and provide detailed implementation guides. An associated GitHub repository provides the codes in five companion notebooks. In addition to reaching undergraduate and graduate students in computationally intensive disciplines, this article aims to reach working industry professionals seeking to explore the potential of near-term quantum applications. As our title indicates, this tutorial is intended to be a starting point in a journey towards solving more complex QUBOs on quantum computers.
Now for the whimsical stuff.
As you know, from When I was Young, MPC meant Math, Physics, Chemistry. Then it became Movies, Physics, Cars. Now (सप्त काव्यानि), it is Mythology, Poetry, Cocktails.
Some of you have asked me to write such a Tutorial on Vedic Literature, aimed at an audience that maybe familiar with Greek and Roman mythologies and literature, but also at those of Indian origin that did not have a traditional Hindu (see Weston Brahmin) upbringing. It is a daunting task, but I believe a worthwhile one, to quote William Jones:
The Sanscrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either, yet bearing to both of them a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs and the forms of grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident; so strong indeed, that no philologer could examine them all three, without believing them to have sprung from some common source, which, perhaps, no longer exists;…
Indeed, to do this with some seriousness, I have had to learn quite a bit, not only about Greek and Roman history, but also about Vedic literature, and world mythology and historical linguistics (especially Proto-Indo-European), which I have enjoyed quite a bit, and am still enjoying. (Yes, I am a man of considerable leisure: see Conspicuous Leisure).
Where to start? How would my Tutorial be different, be distinctive, be modern, no post-modern, maybe even meta-modern? It is quite normal to begin with the Four Vedas, but I thought I would, instead, begin with:
Five Starter Personas: Introducing Vedic Cosmogony through Varuna, Vashishta, Valmiki, Vyasa and Vishwamitra.
What is meta modernism, you may be wondering.
Metamodernism is a cultural and philosophical paradigm that emerges as a synthesis of modernism and postmodernism, reflecting the complexities of the digital, globalized, and postindustrial age. It oscillates between modern idealism (faith in progress, sincerity) and postmodern skepticism (irony, deconstruction), aiming to integrate their strengths while transcending their limitations.
Key characteristics of metamodernism include:
- Oscillation: A pendulum-like movement between hope and doubt, creation and critique, sincerity and irony.
- Integration: Combining modernity’s optimism with postmodernity’s critical nuance to address contemporary challenges like climate change, mental health crises, and meaning crises.
- Engagement: Emphasizing reconstruction, empathy, storytelling, and community over detachment or cynicism.
- Philosophical Basis: It builds on ideas like Hegelian dialectics and Ken Wilber’s integral theory, advocating for “transcend and include” approaches.
Metamodernism is seen in art, theory, and politics as a response to both modernist grand narratives and postmodernist fragmentation. It seeks to navigate ambiguity while fostering genuine connection and creative paradox.
I plan to cover the following:
Happy to receive feedback on my likely 10+ year project, perhaps in time from my 70th birthday in 2035. In the meantime, I am getting ready to enjoy this wonderful treat later this month in Cambridge (The Man Who Loves Zeroes):
